NASCAR: Dale Earnhardt Jr. to drive pace truck for 2019 Daytona 500

Dale Earnhardt Jr. is set to drive the pace truck ahead of the Daytona 500 to kick off the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season.

Former NASCAR Cup Series driver Dale Earnhardt Jr. is set to lead the field ahead of the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season opener, the Daytona 500, at Daytona International Speedway as the driver of the pace truck.

The 44-year-old Kannapolis, North Carolina native is set to lead the field of 40 drivers from behind the wheel of a 2019 Chevrolet Silverado ahead of the 61st annual running of the “Great American Race”.

Here is what Earnhardt Jr. had to say about the opportunity to drive the pace truck ahead of the 2019 Daytona 500, according to NASCAR.

"“I’ve had a lot of fun and a lot of success at Daytona over the years, and now I can’t wait to get out on that track in a Silverado. Away from the track I’ve driven Chevy trucks all my life, and I’m excited to have this unique experience of pacing the Daytona 500 with the Silverado.”"

Here is what Chevrolet U.S. Vice President of Performance Vehicles and Motorsports Jim Campbell had to say about Earnhardt Jr. driving the pace truck ahead of the race, according to NASCAR.

"“Dale Earnhardt Jr. was the perfect choice to pace the race because of his enthusiasm for the sport, his long history with Chevrolet and his love of trucks. It’ll be exciting to have Dale lead the field to green in the strongest, most-advanced Silverado ever.”"

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Never before has the Daytona 500 been paced by a pickup truck. Chevrolet, however, has paced the field for 12 previous Daytona 500 races. In seven of those races, the field was paced by a Chevrolet Camaro, and in the other five, it was paced by a Chevrolet Corvette.

The 2019 Daytona 500 is set to be just the second Daytona 500 since the 1999 Daytona 500 that does not feature Earnhardt Jr. competing, as he retired from Cup Series competition following the conclusion of the 2017 season, which was his 19th overall season in the sport and his 18th season as a full-time driver.

Earnhardt Jr. retired as a two-time winner of the Daytona 500, as he won the race in the 2004 and 2014 seasons. He finished in the top three in the race six other times, as he finished it in second place in the 2001, 2010, 2012 and 2013 seasons, and he finished it in third in the 2005 and 2015 seasons.

Earnhardt Jr. also won the July Cup Series race at Daytona International Speedway twice in his career. He won it in the 2001 and 2015 seasons. In his Xfinity Series career, he recorded six victories at the track. He won there in the 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2010 seasons, and he won there twice in the 2003 season.

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Be sure to tune in to Fox at 2:30 p.m. ET on Sunday, February 17, 2019 for the live broadcast of the 61st annual running of the Daytona 500 at Daytona International Speedway in Daytona Beach, Florida to kick off the 2019 NASCAR Cup Series season. Don’t miss Dale Earnhardt Jr. leading the field to the green flag to get the season underway.

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